The Articulum
Part 8
By: Lance Holloway
The next morning Turlon woke up before anyone else. That
surprised him because he and Dabb were up very late the previous night.
Room was an interesting place. They had developed things that people back
home hadn't even dreamed of.
He enjoyed the self guided tour with Dabb though. Mostly because
it gave them a chance to be friends. It's not very often when you and
your horse are the same species.
"When you find the Articulum, how would you like to be part
horse?" Dabb had asked him as they hopped down the street.
"I don't know," Turlon had answered. "I like being human. I
don't want to be part anything."
"I can understand that," Dabb said. "I despise being this
kangaroo thing. How can you stand to walk on two legs?"
"Not too loud," Turlon whispered. "This isn't anything like
walking on human legs. Our feet aren't this big."
"Give me my hooves back, and I'll be happy," Dabb said.
There was a knock at the door which snapped Turlon back from his
flashback. He hopped to it and cracked it open. Arna was standing there.
"Turlon? Wake everyone up. We need to prepare," she said.
"Ok," Turlon said closing the door. He hopped over to Peten.
"Peten," he said shaking his friend. "Peten, wake up. Arna wants us up."
Peten slowly opened his eyes. "Turlon? You're a kangaroo?" He
looked at his hands. "Oh yeah. We all are." Peten rolled to his feet.
They both woke up the other four sleeping roomen.
As if on cue, Arna knocked on the door again. This time she
didn't want for an answer. "Nice to see everyone up," she said hopping in
the room. Another rooman was standing behind her in the hall. "Mulmer,
here, has come to give us the tour of the generators that Jamk has been
eager to see."
After everyone had gotten ready they all followed Mulmer to the
generators. All that is except for Wilm and Rarguf. "We don't need to
see those generators," Wilm said. "I would rather go see the town." The
two of them hopped down the street.
"To each his own," Jamk said.
They arrived at the generator building just outside of town and
were amazed. Jamk was so excited he was hopping all over the place.
Turlon was astounded. They were generating electricity without water or
wind.
"This is where it all happens," Mulmer said stopping in front of a
large glass window. On the other side of the glass was a room full of
machines turning. "We use a liquid called gas to power the engines
through a process called internal combustion. It's too complicated to get
into, but basically the gas fumes are ignited to turn the engines."
"Wow," Jamk said with his muzzle plastered to the glass.
"This is amazing," Metty said. "What else could you do with these
engines?"
"Well, I don't know if I should tell you," Mulmer said, "but
currently a cart that can move itself is being developed."
Dabb's ears perked up. "A cart that can move itself? What about
the horses? What would the horses do?" he asked.
"Horses? What are those?" Mulmer asked.
"Why, horses are...." Dabb began before Arna elbowed him in the
ribs.
"Horses are some creatures were we come from. They pull the carts
for us," Arna said.
"Interesting," Mulmer said. "Let's go see the rest of the plant."
He started hopping down the hall.
Peten hopped over to Jamk. "Jamk I'm sorry, but I think Rarguf
and Wilm should see this. I'll go get them."
"Okay," Jamk said looking at the engines. "This is spectacular."
"I'll go, too," Turlon said. "Peten doesn't know the town as well
as I do."
"Then let's get them before the tour is over," Peten said. The
two of them hopped down the hall.
When they reached the front doors, they heard a voice. "Wait up,"
it said. Turlon looked back and saw Vulla hopping toward them. "I want
to come, too," she said when she caught up with them.
"Okay," Peten said and opened the door for her.
The three hopped down the street toward town. Vulla seemed to
want to say something, but she didn't.
"What do you want to talk about?" Turlon asked.
"You are very observant, Turlon," Vulla said. "You will make a
great Norrom."
"Thanks," Turlon said rubbing the back of his head. "Now, what
did you want to say?"
"Well, it's Jamk."
"What about him?" Peten asked.
"Well.... I was wondering. How good of a friend is he?" she
asked.
"He's a great friend," the two boys said in unison.
"What type of girl does he like?" she asked.
"Boy, Vulla, you sure aren't a human," Turlon said.
"Why do you say that?" she asked.
"Most human girls wouldn't ask such questions to guys. I'm not
sure why, but they don't," Turlon answered.
"Vulla, with what I see in Jamk, he loves you," Peten said.
"How do you know?" she asked.
"Well, he has been happy ever since he met you," Peten said.
"If I found a way, do you think he would mind if I became human?"
she asked.
"Why would you want to do that?" Turlon asked.
"Because he is a human. I thought I should try to be the same
species, and all that," she said.
"Are you sure? I mean the way Jamk has been acting, I don't think
Jamk would want you to be a human. I don't think HE wants to be human,"
Turlon said. "I think he loves being a horse."
"Peten! Turlon!" a voice shouted. They had reached town and
hadn't realized it. The three stopped and saw Wilm standing at the
entrance to a building. It looked rather dark inside. They hopped over
to Wilm.
"Hey, you three have to see this. They have pictures that move,"
he said. "Rarguf is inside watching one right now."
----------
Mulmer lead the tour into a room that was used to demonstrate the
engine. There was a small working model of the generators which Mulmer
described how it works.
Jamk could not believe all this stuff. Those gas powered
generators were astounding. If they did get those "automatic" carts
developed, he would have to get one. He would never have to use a horse.
But, that wouldn't work. He was a horse. And so was Vulla. They
wouldn't need a cart to begin with.
Suddenly the door burst open. An ugly twisted creature was
standing in the door. It looked like bloated human with slimy gray skin.
Its head vaguely resembled a human. It was twice as large relative to its
body, and three horns jutting out from its forehead. It had four large
tusks protruding out of its large mouth. Its beady black eyes stared at
the group while its large nose sniffed of the air.
"They here!" it bellowed reveling sharp teeth. It charged in the
room followed by twenty others just like it. All of the creatures carried
huge clubs. Some of them had nets. Before any of the roomen could do
anything, the creatures had knocked half of them out and stuffed the limp
bodies in sacks.
Jamk hopped behind an overturned table with Metty and Ketta. He
tried to break off a leg of the table to use as a weapon. He snapped one
off and swung at one of the attackers. He hit the creature. The creature
in return clubbed Jamk in the head. All went black.
-------------
After watching the pictures that moved, Turlon and the others
decided to hop over to the generator building to catch up on the tour.
The way Turlon, Peten, and Vulla described to generators to Wilm and
Rarguf, the two older roomen were eager to see this new technology.
When they reached the plant, something didn't feel right to
Turlon.
"Something doesn't feel right," Vulla said.
"You said it," Peten added.
The five roomen proceeded in the building with caution. Furniture
in the lobby was overturned and nobody was around. "Hello!" Rarguf called
out.
The humming of the generators was the only sound that answered
him. They slowly hopped down the hall looking for anyone.
"Where is everybody?" Vulla asked.
As if to answer a moan came from behind a desk. Wilm hopped
around cautiously to see who it was. He reached down to what was behind
the desk. He helped a rooman up to a chair.
"What happened?" Wilm asked.
"B... B... Big beasts," the rooman stuttered.
"What?" Rarguf asked.
"Big beasts attacked. S... S... Stuffed them in sacks," the
rooman said.
"Who?" Wilm asked.
"Everybody," the rooman answered. "Said something about sea."
"They're going across the sea?" Wilm asked.
The rooman nodded.
"Let's get you to a hospital," Wilm said picking up the rooman.
He hopped out the door. "Then we will hunt down the big beasts."
-----------
Swurg knew something was wrong. The messenger was shaking in his
boots. His elephant tail was switching nervously, and he kept fiddling
with his large elephant ears.
"What news do you have now?" Swurg asked.
"They've been captured by trullums, Master," the messenger said.
"WHAT? TRULLUMS?" Swurg shouted. That proved his theory about
who was attacking the Norrom.
"Yes, Master," the messenger replied.
"Prepare a band of twenty knights. We are going on a trip," Swurg
ordered.
"Yes, Master," the man said backing out the door.
"Oh, and you are going, too. Someone needs to keep in contact
with the spy," Swurg added.
"Yes, Master," the messenger said quickly leaving and closing the
door.
The small army of Swurg's best knights was an impressive sight.
And it didn't take too long either. That messenger did a fantastic job.
Just one thing was missing. Swurg spotted the messenger talking with one
of the knights. He strolled over to the man.
"Yes, Master?" the man asked as Swurg stopped near him.
"Where is my horse?" Swurg asked. "I need a ride."
The messenger looked frightened. "I was just going to report to
you about that," he said. "Your horse is ill. He can go on a journey."
"WHAT?" Swurg yelled. "I have to have a horse. Do you expect
your master to go on the journey on FOOT?"
"No, Mas...."
"I thought not. Now, what could I do for a ride? A mere horse
wouldn't be worthy of being my ride. No, I needs something grander."
Swurg eyed the messenger. "Something like an elephant."
The messenger's eyes widened. "No, Master. Not th.....," the man
began but it ended in a loud trumpet because his nose was now a trunk.
His body swelled and reshaped itself into a large elephant. The elephant
looked at himself shocked.
Swurg stroked the new elephant's trunk. "This wasn't a
punishment," Swurg said. The elephant calmed down to listen to his
master. "It was a gift. Instead of having that human body with your
elephant ears and tail, I gave you the rest of the elephant. Don't you
think it was a splendid gift?"
The elephant slowly nodded.
"Good. I'm sure you will never forget my generosity." Swurg
turned away from the elephant and signaled one of the knights. "Prepare
my elephant for the ride to Sorrora's castle."
To be continued.....